Anyone Shooting a Remington 31 Skeet Gun

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300 Savage
Posts: 23
Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2006 8:53 pm

Anyone Shooting a Remington 31 Skeet Gun

Post by 300 Savage »

I just returned from the Michigan Antique Arms Show and saw two Remington 31 Skeet guns. One was a 16 ga and the other was a 20 ga with an extra full choke solid rib non matching number barrel. Beautiful solid raised rib guns with deluxe checkered wood with lots of condition. I was tempted but they were way over priced at $1600 and $1800 respectifully. Both kind of rare and they gave the Model 12s a run for their on the skeet fields. Also the US trained anti-aircraft gunners with these models in WW2. They were sweet but too many $$$$
Researcher
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Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2003 11:06 pm
Location: Washington and Alaska

Re: Anyone Shooting a Remington 31 Skeet Gun

Post by Researcher »

I've been looking for a lot of years, and have yet to find a rightious small-bore Remington Model 31 Skeet Gun. Even 12-gauge Model 31 Skeet Guns are scarce. I lucked into an extra 12-gauge Vent Rib Model 31 TC barrel. The barrel on My Model 31 TC had been fitted with an ITC choke tube. Ounce the new barrel was fitted to my Model 31 TC and was working fine for trap, I had the original barrel whacked through the first rib support and had the bead reset. Been shooting skeet with it for much of the winter and have several 25 straights with it with my 7/8 ounce 12-gauge reloads.

At Las Vegas this winter, a dealer near us had a 20-gauge Model 31 with a Simmons rib and aftermarket wood, and was asking $1200. If they were rightious all original and high condition Model 31 16- and 20-gauge Skeet Guns I don't see those prices as out of reason.
300 Savage
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Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2006 8:53 pm

Re: Anyone Shooting a Remington 31 Skeet Gun

Post by 300 Savage »

There was a very nice solid rib model 31 20 ga Skeet that sold on Gunbroker for $905, I also recall a very nice vent rib 12 gage Model 31 Skeet that went for about $650 last year. It just depends on how bad you want one and what your frame of reference for pricing tells you what to do.
lowgun
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Oct 12, 2006 3:57 pm

Re: Anyone Shooting a Remington 31 Skeet Gun

Post by lowgun »

I sold my 12 vent rib and 20 gauge Model 31 Skeets several years ago at quite reasonable prices. I haven't seen much for sale since. My remaining 12 gauge solid rib matching two barrel skeet set is locked up at this time. I have to read the "book" and figure out what is wrong. My friends and I are in the middle of trying to convert a 20 gauge Model 31 to 28 gauge. We have the hard part, a Remington or Del Grego made 28 gauge barrel. Now if we can devise the parts to feed the 28 gauge shells from the magazine.
300 Savage
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Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2006 8:53 pm

Re: Anyone Shooting a Remington 31 Skeet Gun

Post by 300 Savage »

Hi Lowgun, sounds like an interesting conversion. As a frame of reference, 20 gauge model 12's do get converted over to 28 gauge model 12's. I would check the list of parts affected on that conversion. If you were to sleeve the magazine tube, will the 20 gauge shell stop latches keep the cartridge from popping out? Once again the model 12 conversion (different gun of course) might point you towards the level of work required. Good luck
REA51
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Joined: Sun Dec 05, 2010 12:48 pm

Re: Anyone Shooting a Remington 31 Skeet Gun

Post by REA51 »

I have a beautiful Model 31 Skeet in 20ga with a solid rib w/small silver mid-bead and large forward-facing front bead, matching numbers (barrel and receiver) with LTT barrel code, which puts it at Feb, 1947. This gun has a beautiful figured stock with a Remington red recoil pad and very nice checkering on both the stock and forend. Serial number is 563XXX. No rust, pitting, stock damage, etc. And like all of the 31's were, a buttery smooth action.
An interesting note about the barrel:
It is stamped "SKEET" in what appears to be slightly left-slanted all caps. But, there is also the word "FULL" stamped near the receiver, and it has been roll-marked over in a fine crosshatch pattern. But it is still slightly legible.
Because of the fancy wood, I believe this is a factory uh-oh. Or maybe they had some extra full choke barrels laying around (or shortage of skeet barrels). Any ideas?
Thanks
300 Savage
Posts: 23
Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2006 8:53 pm

Re: Anyone Shooting a Remington 31 Skeet Gun

Post by 300 Savage »

REA51 wrote:I have a beautiful Model 31 Skeet in 20ga with a solid rib w/small silver mid-bead and large forward-facing front bead, matching numbers (barrel and receiver) with LTT barrel code, which puts it at Feb, 1947. This gun has a beautiful figured stock with a Remington red recoil pad and very nice checkering on both the stock and forend. Serial number is 563XXX. No rust, pitting, stock damage, etc. And like all of the 31's were, a buttery smooth action.
An interesting note about the barrel:
It is stamped "SKEET" in what appears to be slightly left-slanted all caps. But, there is also the word "FULL" stamped near the receiver, and it has been roll-marked over in a fine crosshatch pattern. But it is still slightly legible.
Because of the fancy wood, I believe this is a factory uh-oh. Or maybe they had some extra full choke barrels laying around (or shortage of skeet barrels). Any ideas?
Thanks
I think that either one of your two ideas is very possible. Either Extra Full Choke barrels bored out to Skeet at the time the gun was assy, or the orginal owner sent back the orginal factory barrel for a redo to bore out to Skeet and Restamp the barrel Skeet. Is the barrel S/N to the gun? Does the Skeet Stamp look newer or fresher or lacking in blue in the grooves compared to the other stampings?
REA51
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Dec 05, 2010 12:48 pm

Re: Anyone Shooting a Remington 31 Skeet Gun

Post by REA51 »

Thanks for your thoughts on this.
Correction on the left slanted "SKEET". It's right slanted.
I believe by the brightness of the grooves in the lettering that it was done after initial bluing. But it still could have been done at assembly.
The barrel serial number matches the receiver, and it definitely was done pre-bluing.
The wood and nice checkering is what would would be seen on a factory skeet model. All things considered I believe it to be a factory gun and factory restamped.
300 Savage
Posts: 23
Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2006 8:53 pm

Re: Anyone Shooting a Remington 31 Skeet Gun

Post by 300 Savage »

I just picked up a 1940 16 gauge Model 31 Skeet Barrel on Ebay. It has a Cutts Compensator with Spreader Choke. It fits my 1948 Model 31 Receiver perfectly. I just shot a 25 with it on the Skeet Range this weekend, the gun patterned beautifully on the patterning plate with a uniform dense pattern perfectly centered. These old guns are hard to beat. My modern Over/Under
Sporting Clays gun with Skeet Chokes doesn't hold a candle to the 31 for a perfect shot distribution.
btolson
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Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2016 5:24 pm

Re: Anyone Shooting a Remington 31 Skeet Gun

Post by btolson »

I shoot mine all the time I am a avid waterfowl hunter that is my gun of choice for close range flooded timber as well as shooting trap,skeet and sporting clays. Mine was passed down from my great grandfather,grandfather, dad and to me I could not even imagine how many shells have been through mine and still holds a center tight pattern on the board. I have the 31-t 26 in barrel in mod choke the guys at the range look at me and say look he has his grandfather's gun and by the end of the day asking me to buy it.
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